Designed by renowned artists Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt of R & R Studios in Miami, Fla., the large sculpture titled “WOW” will be incorporated into the design of the Lauridsen Skatepark that broke ground Oct. 15, 2018. The sculpture’s creation is made possible by a $250,000 gift from the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.

To ensure an inclusive selection, a diverse committee composed of community leaders, youth, skateboarders and artists met to review proposals and made the recommendation of Behar and Marquardt’s “WOW.”

Subject to approval by the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation and Des Moines City Council, “WOW” will be constructed of steel, painted in a vibrant color and will spell out the word “wow.” At 80 feet long, 12 feet high and four feet wide, the skateable art piece will be used by skaters as part of the world-class Lauridsen Skatepark.

The sculpture ties into the activation of Downtown DSM’s river as part of the Greater Des Moines Water Trails and Greenways Master Plan. It is designed to mimic the river’s waves and as a palindrome will be read as “wow” no matter the viewpoint.

“Whenever we do a project, the first question we are asked is how do we prevent people from skating on your sculpture,” Rosario Marquardt of R & R Studios said. “Here, we have the reverse and they are telling us to do a sculpture that is skateable — designing “WOW” was completely liberating and fun to do.”

“WOW” is designed to be a social sculpture that welcomes and promotes interaction among skaters and all visitors to the Lauridsen Skatepark. It will be viewable from the river, Second Avenue, the Principal Riverwalk, the Historic East Village and from Interstate 235.

“’WOW’ will become an instant landmark for Greater Des Moines and will contribute a sense of awe to the riverfront activation plan,” said Kristi Knous, President of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. “As people enjoy our region, we often hear them refer to our city as one with a ‘wow’ factor. It is exciting to support a bold art piece that reflects the momentum of our region.”

At more than 65,000 square feet, the Lauridsen Skatepark will be the largest skatepark in the Midwest and could attract around 40,000 visits from skaters each year. More than $3.3 million has been raised to date for the $3.5 million project. Donations are still being accepted. The skatepark is set to open in 2019.

"Skateboarding is on a roll; the fast-growing sport makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2020. Des Moines is ahead of the curve, breaking ground on what will be the largest skate park in the Midwest when it launches downtown in 2019."